Mechanical vibrator



I W. H. GILMAN AND M. H. LOUGHRIDGE.

MECHANlCA1VIBRATOR. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 1920.

1,374,197. Patented Apr. 12. 1921.

' [1 1/ )zfafis UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

WILLARD H. GILMAN, OF YORK, N. ,Y., AND MATTHEW H. LOUGHRIDGRDF BOGO'IA, NEW JERSEY.

MECHANICAL vrnna'ron.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

Application filed February 2, 1920. SerialNo. 355,644.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, VVI'LLARD H. GIL.- MAN, of New York city, New York, and MATTHEW H. LOUGHRIDGE, of Bogota, New Jersey, citizens of the United States, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Vibrators, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to mechanical vibrators such as are used for massage purposes and has for an object to provide a vibrator that is always ready forms, that is compact, easily carried around and in which the period of vibration and the force of the impulse can readily be varied while in use; other objects will appear from the following specification .and drawings describing this invention and the method of using it. V

Figure 1, is a side elevation of the vibrator complete, Fig. 2 is a plan view from the top, Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on line 83 of Fig. 2, Fig. i is 'a sectional detail of the roller and Fig. 5 is a development in sheet metal of the frame of the device.

This invention consists of a roller, preferably with a rubber tire, supported for rotation in a forked frame and terminating in a handle. This rollerhas moving integral therewith a star wheel on either side and. the teeth of these wheels engage a spring controlled member pivoted to the forked frame thereby causin this member to vibrate by the rotation of the roller, these vibrations being transmitted to the roller itself and to the surface over which it is rotated. When the period of the vibrations is to be increased the roller is moved more rapidly and the tension of the spring controlled member can be varied by applying the finger to this member on either side of its pivot.

The frame 11, preferably developed from sheet stock as shown in Fig. 5 has a knurled tubular handle flaring into a forked frame having the sides 12 supporting the shouldered pin 14 upon which the roller 19 is free to rotate; this roller preferably is provided with a rubber tire 13 molded in a groove as indicated in Fig. 4.

Formed integral with the roller 19 are the star wheels 15 and 16 placed on either side of this roller with their teeth directly opposite. The spring controlled member 27 pivoted at 25 in the lugs 29 of frame 12,

has legs 17 and 18 engaging the star wheels 15 and 16 respectively. The ends of these legs are'bent to the contour ofthe teeth of the star wheels as shown at 20, Fig. 1, so that these ends are moved up and down to follow the teeth of these wheels as the roller is rotated and in order to hold these brations to the nervous system and in its 1 application the amplitude and speed of these'vibrations may be varied. The surface 6 may'represent the skin of the human body engaged by the tire 13 of the roller; the speed of the vibrations will depend upon the speed of the roller overthe surface. A tough and comparatively non-elasticrubber is preferable for the tire,as this transmits the vibrations to the surface Z) with comparatively little loss, prevents the cold metal roller from touching the skin and increases the coeflicient of friction between the roller and the skin. The effect from spring 28 may be decreased by applying the finger at c and this effect may be increased by applying the finger at d, Fig. 2, when the device is in use. The teeth of the star wheels have a two to one ratio against the spring 28 which prevents the spring from jamming the roller against rotation. It will be noted that vibrations are obtained when the roller is rotated in either direction.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a mechanical vibrator for massage purposes, the combination of a handle with a roller engaging the skin, a spring controlled member secured to said handle, means for causingsaid member to vibrate as said roller is rotated, the effect from said vibrations being transmitted to the skin through said roller.

2. In a mechanical vibrator for massage purposes, the combination of a handle with a roller engaging the skin, a spring controlled member secured to said handle, means for causing said member to vibrate when said roller is rotated in either direc- 5 tion, the efiect from said Vibrations being transmitted to the skin through said roller.

8. In a mechanical vibrator for massage purposes, the combination of a handle with a roller engaging the skin, a spring controlled member secured to said handle, I a

a roller engaging the skin, a star wheel secured to said roller, a spring-controlled member secured to said handle, said member vibrated by said star wheel, the effect from said vibrations being transmitted to the skin throughsaid roller.

5. Ina mechanical vibrator formassage purposes, the combination of a handle with a roller engaging the skin, a star wheel secured to said roller, arigid spring-controlled member pivoted to said handle and one end. of said member engaging said star wheel.

6. In a mechanical vibrator for'massage purposes, the combination of a handle with a roller engaging the skin, a star wheel secured to said roller, a spring, a member piv- I oted to said handle and having one end engaging said star wheel and the other end engaging said spring.

- 7. In a mechanical vibrator for massage purposes,the combination of a, handle, with a roller engaging the skin, a star wheel secured to said roller, a spring, a member with unequal legs pivoted to said handle, the

longer of said legs engaging said star Wheel and the shorter of said legsengaging said spring. w 1 r 8. In a mechanical vibrator for massage purposes, the combination of a handle with a roller engaging the skin, a plurality of star wheels secured to said roller, a spring controlled member secured to said handle and having a plurality of legs, each of said legs engaging one of said star wheels and vibrated thereby as said roller is rotated; 9. In a mechanical vibrator for massage purposes, the combinationiof a handle with a roller engaging the skin, a star wheel secured to said roller, a spring controlled member secured to said handle, one end of said member engaging said star wheel and formed to the contour ofthe teeth of said star wheel. I V

10. Ina mechanical vibrator for massage purposesthe combination of a handle with a rollerengaging the skin, a star wheel secured to said roller, lugs projecting from the sides of said handle, a spring controlled member pivoted in said lugs and placed parallel to said handle, said member engaging said star wheel.

1 1 In a mechanicalvibrator for massage purposes, the combination of a handle with a roller engaging the skin,a spring controlled member associated with said roller and means for causing said member to vibratewhen said'roller is rotated, the effect from said vibrations being transmitted to the skin through said roller.

In witness whereof we have names hereto.

WILLARD H. GILMAN. MATTHEW H. LOUGHRIDGE.

signed our 

